Key to Her Heart
by Tiggerola
Summary: Keyblade Wielders and Princesses of Heart. That was a generation ago, but now the time has come to find new recruits to pass the torch on. What is this history that Mal never heard about on the Isle?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:This was something I started years ago, after Descendants, Wicked World, and Isle of the Lost came out, but before D2 (or Kingdom Hearts 3) did. There was such potential to implicate one of my favorite crack pairings, but D3 makes it not fit with canon anymore. If the scenario is still of interest, I may continue writing either as canon-divergence or make changes to be canon-compliant.**

**Obviously flashbacks will be events in the past 20 years but the present takes place between the end of the first movie and before the Festival at the beginning of Wicked World.**

_King Beast stood at the head of a long table, surrounded by his dear friends from all the kingdoms that now joined together in the newly formed Auradon._

_"I would like to thank all of you for electing me and supporting our endeavors to unite all our lands," King Beast started, "Heaven knows we went through Heck to get where we are today." He smiled down at Belle at his side. She smiled back up at him, appreciative of all he went through to see her again when their world was torn apart by darkness. Even though he was still a beast at the time, he had enough love in his heart for Belle that he did not turn into a Heartless but traveled the space between worlds to where she was being held captive._

_"I would like to give a special thanks to the Keyblade Wielders," King Beast continued, gesturing to Master Yen Sid, Sora, Mickey, and a few others that were present, "for physically uniting our lands back into one world."_

_Those present gave a polite applause, straining to contain their true excitement of the Utopia they finally had before them. Yen Sid, with arms folded, quietly bowed his head in acceptance. Sora chuckled and gave a nervous wave. Mickey joined in the clapping and smiled encouragingly at his comrades._

_When the applause died down, King Beast cleared his throat. "Well then, the first item of business we have for our very first council meeting is…"_

_Just then the doors thrust open. A cold wind blew through the room. The candles in the room would have blown out if things weren't recently updated for electricity. Still, the room seemed to dim with the dropping temperature._

_"Hey ya shmucks, sorry I'm late!" came a voice from the now dark hallway. Blue flames and smoke swirled about at a figure emerged from the shadows, revealing the god of death. He chuckled, "Actually, I'm not sorry." He bowed to the crowd mockingly, "Hades, Lord of the Dead, BACK from the dead! At your service…or disservice as the case may be."_

_Hercules jumped up with a sneer and clenched fist. Hades strolled by and patted his fist with a cold hand as he headed towards King Beast and Belle, side noting, "Cool it, Jerkules, I'll be with you in a moment."_

_"What is the meaning of this outrage?!" roared King Beast, pounding the table._

_"Oh no outrage here," Hades reassured soothingly, "What? Did you think that a bunch of decrepit souls could keep me trapped away in my own place forever? Oh no! I'm just here to bring to your attention a very poignant item of business you should discuss your trivial little heads over here. You're welcome."_

_Everyone stared at Hades with death glares in silence._

_Hades rolled his eyes. "Yeesh. You try to help people and this is the thanks you get. So! I have this little problem with my realm, see? You guys have your land. People are born, people die, it's all good. But with me people come when they die and they STAY THERE…FOREVER. This was all well and good back in ancient Greece, but times have changed and frankly your overpopulation here makes it worse there. Especially when you keep sending good folks there prematurely."_

_King Beast growled, "And just what do want us to do about it?"_

_Hades threw a friendly arm over King Beast's shoulder, "So glad you asked. There's not much you have to do on your part, but I'll be releasing those good folks I mentioned back here to live again. You know, all of your wonderful, eh, shall we say, antagonists?"_

_Hades gave his friendliest, most sinister smile. The room exploded with everyone shouting their different protests. King Beast threw Hades' arm off him and made as if he would tear him apart with his bear hands._

_"Whoa, settle down everyone. Don't kill the messenger," laughed Hades as he strutted out of the room. "Take it up with the Fates. It's not the Villains' time to go. No matter how many times you kill them, I'll keep bringing them back. So take that into account for your Bore-adon."_

_Hades left with everyone in dumbstruck silence. King Beast slouched back into his throne chair at the head of the table, the first he used it that meeting. He supported his shaking head with his hand._

_With a sigh, he said, "Well…any suggestions?"_

* * *

It was a perfect kind of day at Auradon Prep. Not a cloud in the sky. Birds twittered in chorus as they flew between the lush green trees. The overwhelming scent of lilacs in full bloom. Disgusting. Much too bright for Mal's taste. Why did the lockers have to be outdoors? Would it kill them to add a basement level or three to campus?

Mal attempted her combination when a girly squeal from the tables behind her distracted her. She shot an evil glance towards the owner who jumped up and ran towards some brown-haired guy. Ugh. Spring was definitely the worst season!

She restarted twisting the dial and tried to block other noises of excitement that escalated behind her. One note made her twist a bit too far. Third time was a charm though and she finally got the locker door open. She dropped off her book for Mathematics, all the while looking behind her at the commotion. The brunet was now surrounded by more girls than Jay before a Tourney game.

Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her book for Grammar and slammed her locker shut, revealing Ben to her right leaning against the lockers.

"Hey Mal!" he smiled. "What's up?"

"That's what I'd like to know," she said, thumbing toward the crowd behind her.

Ben cocked his head to see past her shoulder. "Oh! It looks like Skyler is visiting."

"Who?"

"Skyler. Sora's son?"

Mal stared back in un-recognition.

"Didn't you guys learn History of Auradon back on the Isle?"

"We learned the history of how your parents wronged ours."

Ben gave a nervous chuckle. "Well, once upon a time our lands were separated by vast darkness. The Keyblade Master's brought them together to make the United States of Auradon. Skyler's dad was one of them."

Mal looked closer at the kid. His hair starburst from the side into fine, highlighted spikes down, almost like a miniature lion's main. He had a goofy grin on his face; not exactly from enjoying all the attention, but more like he was oblivious to why so many girls were flocking to him. Guess she couldn't blame all those prissy, pink princesses for going after an edgier looking guy. The chains and spikes he wore definitely gave him more style than the average Auradon boy.

"So wait. You're saying that Auradon wasn't always physically Auradon? That kid's dad has that kind of power?"

"Crazy right? We use to all be in our own different worlds but," Ben draped an arm over Mal's shoulders, "I'm glad we aren't now, aren't you?"

Mal gave him a mischievous smirk, "The jury is still our on that." She playfully picked his hand up and pulled it over her head to return it to him. "But I have to get to class now. I've been working on being fashionably late."

Ben laughed, "Fancy term for 'tardy' I'll have to remember that one."

"The king is tardy?"

"Only for a good reason such as you. But hey, if Skyler is here, his dad probably is too. Which means my family will be having dinner with them. You should come."

"Yeah, I'll think about it. Catch you later."


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Okay! I decided to go forward with this! It may be a bit on the AU side, but I'll try to keep inconsistencies to a minimum...**  
**{{I went over the Isle of the Lost books again and found the support to my crossover head canon. So this will go more with the book series than the movies.**

**In the first book, Chapter 8 (pg 78 for those that still do hard copies lol) Which at this point states that Mal's father is human (not a god unless Hades is human now, but being part god-she wouldn't have this issue of hating her paternal 'weaknesses') I may tweak some updates to my original plan so it still fits with the movies and only imply, but leave implications even if they can turn out to be one-sided misunderstandings.**

**The way Mal greets Hades in D3, it sounds like she knew Hades was her dad all along. So either way, I guess this crossover will be slight AU. Or maybe after this I'll have a sequel taking place after D3 that will reconcile the indiscrepancies between the books and movies and bring them in harmony together...**

The last bell rang and Mal made her way to her history teacher's office, as he requested when she questioned him after class about Auradon once being separate worlds. The door was ajar and so she peeked inside. The small room was cluttered with piles of books mixed with a hodgepodge of artifacts.

"Um...Professor Thatch?" Mal called.

She spotted a dusty mop of hair bobbing behind a stack on the desk and then rounding the corner to see who had come. "Ah, Mal! Yes, yes. You were inquiring about how the worlds were joined into one, correct?"

Mal nodded and so the professor wheeled his chair back and stood up, browsing around while mumbling about where the different items he moved around came from as he read the spines on the books. When he found what he was looking for, he pulled the book out, causing the books on top to topple over, disturbing some of the other nearby piles. His arms reached out to try and grab as many as he could, but at least he saved a ming vase from the Forbidden City from shattering.

He gave a nervous chuckle as Mal stared at him skeptically. He handed the book to her then pushed his glasses up his nose. "That book should help you better understand the events from the Battle of Kingdom Hearts to when King Beast was elected the first ruler of Auradon. It does only touch on a little bit of each individual world, but perhaps it'll give you a better understanding of the history they apparently failed to teach you on the Island."

"Does it describe _how _they were able to combine the worlds?"

"Oh, the mechanics of that you'd probably have to ask a Keyblade Master. I would love to understand that myself though," Professor Thatch gushed as he fumbled the vase from hand to hand. "But you know, I'll give you extra credit if you write up a report on what you do learn!"

Mal thanked him and left him to clean up the mess from his search. She barely turned to the first page as she walked when her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and smiled as she read the message and thumbed a response.

Dinner's tonight. Pick you up at 5? ~ Ben Great! ~ Mal

* * *

_The plan seemed sound enough. If they could not get rid of their enemies, they could at least contain them. There was an empty island to the southwest. Fairy Godmother, Merlin, and others with magic would help create a barrier around it. However, island life would not be sustainable, especially if it's inhabitants did not have a strong work ethic. They agreed to provide second hand supplies to the occupants so they wouldn't starve to death and be resurrected outside the barrier again. To be able to deliver through the barrier, there would need to be a gate. Or a door. That could be locked. _

_That's where the Keyblade Masters came in. Two Keyblade Wielders could seal the barrier, but it would need one of them on each side to close it properly. After the villains got put away, there'd be time to devise a more efficient solution. As for now, they barely planned this much when the siege of villains began. _

_Upon the first explosion, the council was immediately dismissed and so they could begin their counterattack. They had defeated their foes before, surely they'd be able to again with little problem. _

_Or so they thought. _

* * *

King Ben escorted Mal into the parlor where his parents and a few guests were conversing before dinner. He introduced her to Skyler who with the same goofy grin he had earlier shook her hand, then his father Sora, who also had a smile with a friendly brilliance to rival Ben's, and then finally another keyblade wielder, Master Riku.

"And this is my girlfriend: Mal, daughter of Maleficent," Ben announced to the guests as Mal was shaking Riku's hand.

Riku's grip twitched around her own. It was hard to tell through his silver bangs, but his bright teal eyes blinked in what seemed like confusion.

"Uh, are you okay?" Mal asked him.

He withdrew his hand and breathed, "Yeah."

With everyone present, they proceeded to the dining hall and gathered about a round table. Ben helped Mal sit next to his spot before sitting himself. His parents sat beside him while Skyler claimed the seat on the other side of Mal.

Mrs. Potts had outdone herself. The servants brought in course after course of fine appetizers to a sumptuous main dish then decadent desserts. Belle and Sora dominated most of the conversation as they chit chatted about life in general. Mal kept catching Riku stealing glances at her but then Skyler would elbow her with a side comment.

As Ben finished up and dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin, Riku elbowed Sora and gave him a look to remind him what they wanted to ask.

Sora nodded then looked at Ben while drumming his fingers on the table. "We were wondering in light of recent developments...if we could borrow the Dragon Staff for inspection."

"The Dragon Eye scepter," Riku corrected.

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Oh yeah, that."

Ben responded, "Ah, well, that is being kept in the Museum right now. You'd have to go through Fairy Godmother to get it. But if it's really necessary…"

"Hang on," interrupted Mal, "That's my mother's scepter we're talking about. You can't just give it out to other people!"

"Would it be acceptable if you were present? In fact, you may be able to help," Riku proposed.

"I don't know who you guys think you are, but you can't just show up out of the blue and take my mom's most treasured possession like that!"

"Mal. Try to calm down…" Ben persuaded, placing a hand on hers.

Sora waved his hands in front of him. "No, it's okay. She's right. We should see if we can ask Maleficent about it. There's no big rush. We'll be around for a bit as we check out the school for potential Key-ow!"

Riku had stepped on Sora's foot to keep him from revealing that mission. They wanted to observe candidates in a natural environment rather than having everyone put on an act trying to impress them. Mal being unfamiliar with Keyblades raised an eyebrow at Sora.

He sweated. "I mean we plan to stay here for a couple of weeks, so there's no hurry. We can wait for clearance to see Maleficent and all."

With dinner done, they migrated to the front hall to see the guest out. Upon parting, Sora commented to Belle how it looked like King Ben inherited her Light. Ben seemed really happy to hear that.

As Ben was walking Mal back to her dorm room he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"Well, that one with the silver hair is kinda hot," she teased.

He gasped, "You mean OLD! He was like, our age back when my parents got married!"

She laughed. It was hearty and good natured. Ben overcame the shocking statement as he enjoyed seeing her smile.

She reassured him, "I'm just kidding." She was partly kidding. There was something about Riku that she felt drawn to, but she couldn't put her finger on it.


End file.
